Owning a home AND full-time RVing (trailer, motorhome, park, mileage)

[RomaniGypsy]

Does anyone spend most of the year in their RV, but still have a home somewhere? I'm looking for people who are effectively "full-timers", but they also have a home somewhere. I guess most full-timers don't have a sticks-and-bricks home... but I've been considering it. If anyone does that, can you tell me how well it works, and what you have to do to make sure the home is cared for (and not burgled) in your absence?

[MrRational]

Originally Posted by RomaniGypsy

Does anyone spend most of the year in their RV, but still have a home somewhere?

Sure; plenty still do that.
Mostly I think it depends on how you define "most" of the year.

I guess most full-timers don't have a sticks-and-bricks home...

Well, no. Not really.
What makes you a "full-timer" is NOT having a regular house anymore.

If anyone does that, can you tell me how well it works, and what you have to do to make sure the home is cared for (and not burgled) in your absence?

The short answer is that it's problematic, impractical, and expensive to have both even without damage or loss issues.

Most people would have trouble buying the really nice coach you need for full-timing AND still have a pile of cash tied up in a regular house.
More... the continuing expenses of utilities, taxes, repair, upkeep of homeownership don't go away.
They just get shifted to the coach maintenance (or loan) and diesel fuel and space rental fees in parks etc.

hth







btw... wanna buy a nice RV?

[RomaniGypsy]

Originally Posted by MrRational

Sure; plenty still do that.
Mostly I think it depends on how you define "most" of the year.

I wouldn't have the first clue. I was just thinking about the possibilities. I guess, for me, it's more that my wife wants to have a house she can make her own... I don't know. She's an experienced RVer (I'm not) and I think, deep down, she wants to full-time in an RV... she's said so... she's just afraid of what it would entail. She says that life lacks security and stability... I say that one of the reasons to have an RV is because then you always have a place to live. Who knows... we're still considering all options, hence why I asked this question.

Originally Posted by MrRational

Well, no. Not really.
What makes you a "full-timer" is NOT having a regular house anymore.

I guess. But then the question becomes... how do you have a legal address, without a house? Okay, you can get a PO box, but from years of having a PO box, I can tell you that it isn't always acceptable as your address... some places or applications or whatever have to have your STREET address.

Originally Posted by MrRational

The short answer is that it's problematic, impractical, and expensive to have both even without damage or loss issues.

Yeah, but I'm not talking about a really expensive place. I'm talking about a $20,000 wonder out in the middle of nowhere. Even at that, I get what you're saying. However, I suppose it comes down to whether or not people eventually tire of living in a small space.

Originally Posted by MrRational

btw... wanna buy a nice RV?

Perhaps... what do you have, why are you getting rid of it, what condition is it in, and how much do you want for it?

[StealthRabbit]

Works within your personal cash flow needs. (if you are well off, you can have a mansion waiting for you).

For many, they leave homes vacant and have a neighbor care for it.

Others use 'House sitters', or rent out a room 'furnished' to someone they know.
Adult children can come home / watch.

If you live in a destination area, you can do some some short term rentals (first through a management company till established clientele is formed).

My plan... have a small home / apartment / RV hookups for me, yet have the main house / property rented and cared for by tenants. I will have 3+ of these places likely WA, TN, TX, (all income tax free) and have a couple places 'out of country'). All these will be self supporting and positive cash flowing properties. That way I can RV or live / rent abroad at will.

[RomaniGypsy]

Originally Posted by StealthRabbit

Works within your personal cash flow needs. (if you are well off, you can have a mansion waiting for you).

For many, they leave homes vacant and have a neighbor care for it.

Others use 'House sitters', or rent out a room 'furnished' to someone they know.
Adult children can come home / watch.

If you live in a destination area, you can do some some short term rentals (first through a management company till established clientele is formed).

My plan... have a small home / apartment / RV hookups for me, yet have the main house / property rented and cared for by tenants. I will have 3+ of these places likely WA, TN, TX, (all income tax free) and have a couple places 'out of country'). All these will be self supporting and positive cash flowing properties. That way I can RV or live / rent abroad at will.

You sound like I did, many years ago. If you think that rental properties are the way to make a great living... think again. The only people who can really make money in rental properties these days are people who already own the properties outright... "old money", as it were. Tenants have no incentive to take care of the place unless they have a lot to lose, and the laws so heavily favor tenants that the landlords have a mightily hard time getting a "fair shake".

I will never intentionally become a landlord again. Did it for four years as a side gig... and the laws made it impossible for me to make money on it. I should be able to point a gun at a deadbeat tenant and tell them that they have 24 hours to pay up or get out completely, OR ELSE. And if they're not out, my Ruger .357 Magnum could make sure that they would be. Then I get to keep all of their stuff too, once I change the locks and make sure that the tenants cannot come back in to claim their stuff.

But that's the way it works in Dreamland. Here in the USSA, where the poor are molly-coddled and the rich punished, tenants can screw landlords left and right and there's no legal recourse against them... but if a landlord tries to screw a tenant... LOOK OUT.

[Off Pavement]

Full timing isn't for everyone. Imagine spending everyday, all day, with your spouse. My wife and I loved full timing for 5 years, but we also like to spend our time together... all of it. Full timing was perfect for us, it may be for you as well.

As far as having a state of residence without having a fixed address, there are ways around that depending on which state you choose to be a resident of. As a property owner, keeping your property address as your legal address has many advantages, but may be expensive too. For example, Texas and South Dakota to name only two, have residency requirements that make full time RVing possible. Mail forwarding services keep you up caught up, and mobile Internet is available just about everywhere now-a-days. Check out www.escapees.com for some good ideas. We chose SD when we hit the road, but that is what worked for us... your results may vary.

I've heard of folks that sold the house but kept everything in storage and went full time. Some others sold everything and hit the road. Some try as you query by keeping a stick house somewhere. There is a lot to consider when thinking about going full time. It sure isn't cheap. If you move about much you will pay attention to the MPG you get, even if it's only 1/2 a MPG. RV parks, even with monthly rates are as expensive as rent in many places. There are some long term pretty inexpensive alternatives out west in the Quartzsite, AZ area, and in summer there are several BLM areas along the eastern Sierra Nevada mountains near Bishop and Mammoth Lakes.

Sooner or later, your health will probably limit your full time ventures unless you settle on one location and never move. It gets tiring hookup up and unhooking, dumping and filling if you head to back country or primitive campgrounds, and finding places to fill up with fuel can be a challenge now and then.

If you plan on having a separate vehicle that you tow behind a class A or C motorhome, that creates a whole new set of things to do including the fact that many cars can't be towed unless on a dolly or trailer.

You might want to check out www.rv-camping.org for ideas on places to camp. The site has a lot of info on finding campgrounds, public and private, in all states. It could give you a place to start looking into the costs of camping.

Happy Camping!

[StealthRabbit]

Originally Posted by RomaniGypsy

You sound like I did, many years ago. If you think that rental properties are the way to make a great living... think again. ...

Thx for the advice. I've been a landlord in various fashions for over 30 yrs (residential, commercial, industrial). I have never had a place trashed, or had crummy tenants. I've only had to ask one party to leave due to their aggressive dog (which I felt to be a liability issue for me).

I keep an amiable, respectful, and professional relationship with my tenants. Today I am 'co-laboring' with a tenant on weatherization and remodel, we get along and work well together (of benefit to both).

I was fortunate to live overseas for a few years while tenants handled stuff on their own (I've never used a manager or even a handyman).

I know I'm 'lucky', but have a very comprehensive application and rental agreement, but most importantly I use gut feel and build social capital with tenant.

I'm not into making a GREAT Living off my rental props, they are just one of many tools to SURVIVE. (and a valuable tool for inflation protection)
YMMV

[rtandc]

I full time in my RV and I still own a home in Virginia, a home in North Carolina and a RV lot in Florida but my residency is in South Dakota. Many more full timers then you would guess still own a stick and brick home either because they use it for tax reasons or they can't sell it due to the real estate crash or they hang on to it in case they have to come off the road in the future for personal reasons. What you do with your property while on the road is a personal choice that should be decided based on each persons wants and needs. I would strongly suggest you speak with both a tax expert and an accountant before making any decisions to see what direction would be best for both you and your wife.

[RomaniGypsy]

Originally Posted by StealthRabbit

Thx for the advice. I've been a landlord in various fashions for over 30 yrs (residential, commercial, industrial). I have never had a place trashed, or had crummy tenants. I've only had to ask one party to leave due to their aggressive dog (which I felt to be a liability issue for me).

I keep an amiable, respectful, and professional relationship with my tenants. Today I am 'co-laboring' with a tenant on weatherization and remodel, we get along and work well together (of benefit to both).

I was fortunate to live overseas for a few years while tenants handled stuff on their own (I've never used a manager or even a handyman).

I know I'm 'lucky', but have a very comprehensive application and rental agreement, but most importantly I use gut feel and build social capital with tenant.

I'm not into making a GREAT Living off my rental props, they are just one of many tools to SURVIVE. (and a valuable tool for inflation protection)
YMMV

Yeah, my mileage varied. I wouldn't be able to trust anyone. It seems that I always get screwed no matter what precautions I take. I figure that it's God telling me to stay away.


RTandC, why did you choose South Dakota as your domicile state, and how can you claim that if your properties are in other states?

[zthatzmanz28]

We are planning to go full time in 2013. Recently my wife has voiced the desire to have a home base where we could spend a month or two (June-July) and be near the kids. We are considering a modular or something in a community / park setting that would have people around.